4 month old and not enough breast milk

[nougatness]

My baby is nearly 4 months old. I have been back at work since she was about 6 weeks old and so far she has only had breastmilk.
To say that my work is not mother friendly is a complete understatement and finding the time to express during the day is getting harder and harder. Some days, I only get 1 chance for about 10 minutes.
I had a good store in the freezer and used to stock up on weekends, but last weekend I did a course both the days, so no stock up and am running very low on frozen milk.
I want to keep breastfeeding as long as possible, can you give me some tips on how to introduce formula, what are the best feeds for her to have it, and also how to ensure that she will still take breast milk as well.
I am feeling really emotional about this, and had a barny with my husband about it last night, as he sees nothing worng with banging her on formula and is just straight up practical about it, but I am feeling very sad about it.
Please don't tell me I have rights at work, should speak to HR etc, I am in the Middle East, in a male dominated company where I sit in my storeroom and pump milk with no one knowing, and feel privileged to have the storeroom access and not have to do it in the toilet! I actually have no rights.
Thanks in advance for your help.

[nickytwotimes]

How hard for you, nougat.

I am certainly no expert, but it is still dead early here, so you might get some more experienced folk in a wee while. Meantime, I do know that little ones have a growth spurt at 4 mths (I have a 5 mth old so it is very fresh in my mind!)

Could you build up your supply again? Maybe on your days off or something? Or even take a few days off to do it? Your work certainly aren't putting themselves out for you, so I don't think you should feel guilty about having a few days. Maybe even annual leave if not sick leave?

There are peole here who successfully mix-feed their babies and who would be well placed to advise you. You have done a fantastic job to ebf given that you had to return to work at 6 weeks! Amazing commitment particularly under the circumstances.

[nougatness]

Thanks Nicky, I didn't mean to sound like I was having a pity party, but thank you.
Yes, I thought if I can get through to weekend, I will spend weekend hooked up to pump and try to get some more supply again. And, yes, I have a very supportive ObGyn, who will be happy to give me a certificate for some days off, that's a good idea. I think she is in a growth spurt as she is sleeping a fair bit as well as not fitting into any of her pajamas!
Thanks Again.

[RubyBuckleberry]

wow! what a story! well done so far nougatness . i think good idea from nicky to build up stock again. will she feed at night? if you can hack it, some babies reverse cycle when mums go back to work and take an inordinate amount of their daily calories at night. can you co-sleep to facilitate this?

amazing effort so far. as far as formula feeding, i am speculating here but i think the morning/night feeds might be good to keep, and bedtime. prolactin (hormone responsible for milk production) is more plentiful at night i think so its good to protect night feeds. if you fed her at bedtime, 10/11pm, 5am and 7/8am she would get lots of milk that way and would probably only need small amounts of formula during the day. i know my ds was terribly distracted at this age and would take 3 minute feeds during the day just to keep him going and take long feeds at night to make up for it!

saying that, plenty of women mix feed successfully. you have built up a good supply so far so it shouldn't endanger it to replace a few feeds with formula.

this is kellymom on reverse cycling

hth

[nougatness]

Thanks for the support and for the info about reverse cycling and the link to kellymom - it's good to find out new things!
Yes, she is fine about feeding from either breast or bottle, she doesn't seem to care, which is a relief and really nice way to wind down after work.
I only breastfeed straight from boob at nights and in mornings. I express from one breast during the 7am feed and am thinking I might have to start doing same at 5am, just for a while until I get some more stock up.
We have been cosleeping but started putting her in her cot this week from 10 or so until she wakes at 5. I then feed her in bed and get a bit more sleep, so that's no dramas.
Thanks again, I don't know why I am so emotional about it, but she didn't catch chickenpox from my husband who had it at the start of the month and at that time it felt like I had done the right thing by her by persevering with the breastmilk and I was pretty amazed by the powers of it to be honest!
Thanks again.

[RubyBuckleberry]

hi nougatness, all sounds good - and you are right - breastmilk is quite amazing isn't it?!

[wannabeglam]

Well, I think you're a super-hero to have been expressing this long. Although I'm a long-term breastfeeder I found expressing really hard.

[LadyLatherOfIndecision]

are there not laws regarding time at work to express milk? I hope someone with more knowledge can help you

[ClimberChick]

I think if you let her feed as often as she likes when your at home (is it from breast?) then don't worry about your supply.

It's whether you can cope with the night wakings.

I use to have booster sessions at the weekends, where I pump between every feed to increase how much I pumped in the week at work

[MrsTimeOut]

Nougat, back at work when dc was 6 weeks must have been tough let alone having to contend with expressing in secret. I work in all female, very supportive office and I even find it tough to express.I'm back 2 weeks but only work mon-wed for the moment so what I've decided to do is put dd on the boob as much as poss on the days I'm off to increase supply. I think it's better to do that and suffer engorged breasts on Monday to protect my supply? Can you put your dd to the breast anytime you are around instead if giving her ebm? I'm honestly not sure what impact that would have on increasing your supply if you only did that on the 2 days you are not working??? Seriously, well done on all of your breastfeeding success so far.

[ripa81]

Try healthy nursing tea... it worked for me to increase supply and focus on nursing....nursing nursing nursing! Pumping is not as efficient as baby and giving her a bottle means less time at the breast. I would say when she cries, just switch sides again and keep going! Keep switching sides when she fusses till she is done. this will help increase your supply as well.
good luck
BF`ing 2